From Last Word On Hockey – By Ian Reid
Trouba Requests Trade
Jacob Trouba will not be attending the Winnipeg Jets training camp. In fact, if Trouba has his way the next time he skates at the MTS Center it will be as a member of the opposing team. Kurt Overhardt, Trouba’s agent, says that contract negotiations had broken off back in May and have yet to resume. Trouba 22, has played 211 games in the NHL over the course of three seasons. Over that time he scored 23 goals, 49 assists for 72 points. He has a plus/minus rating of +16 and accumulated 151 penalty minutes. Trouba just finished representing Team North America in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey where he played two of the three round robin games for the young stars squad.
Separated By Opportunity Not Money
Since this story broke, there has been no mention of money as a reason the sides are far apart. According to Trouba’s camp, the issue is with opportunities in the Jets system. Trouba played the majority of the past season on the left side of the defensive pair. He prefers to play the right side but in the current makeup of the Jets defense that would have him playing behind Dustin Byfuglien and likely Tyler Myers.
Fallout for the Jets
From the Winnipeg Jets perspective, they are far weaker on the left side of their defensive pairings. Many projected that if Trouba and the Jets could agree on a contract that he’d play top minutes with Byfuglien. Losing the option of playing Trouba on his offside make a deep chasm on left defense even deeper. Toby Enstrom could be called on to play on the top pair unless they can get a defenceman in return from a trade. The positives for the Jets is that young high-ceiling defenceman usually does not hit the market. With the rumors that he has been available since May the Jets asking price might be justifiable high for the Jets 2012 first round selection.
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